Overall rating
90.03/100
ratings
41
Whiskybase ID
WB1252
Category
Single Malt
Distillery
Bottler
Blackadder (BA)
Bottling series
Raw Cask
Vintage
12.1979
Bottled
12.2005
Stated Age
26 years
Cask Type
Refill Sherry Butt
Cask number
2015
Number of bottles
497
Strength
56.9 %
Size
700 ml
Added on
11 jan 2008 10:19 pm
UncoloredNon-chill FilteredCask StrengthSingle Cask Whisky
Overall rating
90.03/100
ratings
41

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Whisky reviews for Port Ellen 1979 BA

7 users have left 7 reviews for this whisky. Average rating is 90.03 points.

Read the reviews
  1. hs305 scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    [October, 2019] The days are getting shorter and the temperatures drop - it is Islay dramming time! And I start with this rare Port Ellen release...

    ...which offers not the classical but a very interesting PE profile. Some aspects of the nose are more Ardbeg-like (early seventies) while taste and finish offer a delicious fruity-peaty profile all without any flaws. The neat dram is more interesting while the reduced version is (even) more quaffable.
    • Nose
      91 91
      The colour is jonquiripe corn and the nose offers tar in abundance. This reminds me rather of a vintage 1973 Ardbeg than of a Port Ellen. Obviously they used higher peating levels on this distillation, I like that! The nose grows farmy with maritime notes (a farm on the Islay shore) with chalky-briny aromas joining later. There are herbal and grassy notes too, all in all very interesting to explore. In a blind setting I would have guessed an early-seventies Ardbeg (not joking),
    • Taste
      91 91
      The taste is more PE-like with the trademark metallic touch (copper) that I like. It is fruitier than the nose which is nice to balance the massive peaty attack. Strong spices pep up the taste further as do some impressions of wet haystacks and heather honey. I am not sure if there are sherry flavours in there, maybe a hint of dark chocolate with raisins. But I do not miss them.
    • Finish
      90 90
      The initial mouthfeel is warming with some hot peppery impressions and a fine coating effect without distracting moments. The finish is long and turns sweeter on fruits, honeys and barley sugars with a slightly drying finish (cold ashes) that is rather pleasant and enjoyable. Water releases the fruity aromas in the nose too (now it is no longer Ardbeg-gedish) and the taste turns sweeter. Actually, I like this dram both neat and reduced to about 45% abv but in doubt I prefer the untamed neat version.

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